Romanian Beauty
by Kitten Losvana
Summary: "Why Miami?" "I've always loved the ocean. I grew up in Constanta, a port city in Romania. I, of course, did some research before I moved here. I saved up for a few years, bought a house and then bought a building going into foreclosure. I turned that building into a club and I've been doing pretty well since then."


Hey all! Welcome to my new fanfiction! I hope you all enjoy!

I do not own CSI: Miami or any characters with it. Just my own.

Anyway enjoy!

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

She was pleasantly surprised when she opened her front door. His trademark sunglasses were sitting on the bridge of his nose and he had his only slightly humorous face on. She stepped aside and he walked in, letting her close the door behind them. She smiled as she led him through the house and into the kitchen.

"To what do I owe this surprise, Horatio?" she asked as she poured a mug of coffee for her guest, a heavy accent upon her lips.

He just gave that small smile and took the offered mug.

"I'm just here to check on you, Crina. How's your side doing?"

Crina eyes lowered and her hand moved to her throbbing left side. She'd been shot several months ago in the side and It still hurt and flared up when she moved. She then looked back up at him and smiled.

"It's still sore on some days. Otherwise I'm good. But you didn't come here to just check on me. You need something from me." She said as she took a sip of water from her glass.

He chuckled at her insight. Ever since he'd saved her, she had been able to read him like a book. They'd grown close over the last few months and in that time her ability to give him information was highly valuable. Of course it wasn't about people, but about objects. Her intellect was beyond anything he'd ever come across.

"Yes," He pulled his sunglasses off then looked up at her, "A woman was murdered last night. We looked into her this morning and found that she's from Romania."

"România? Patria mea?" (Romania? My homeland?)

Horatio gave her a confused look and Crina blushed a bit.

"Sorry. I said, Romania, my homeland. But are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes. She was on a visa here."

Crina looked down at her glass then placed it on the counter.

"And what are you wanting from me?"

Horatio pulled a piece of paper from his black Jacket and placed it on the counter in front of her. Crina's eyes looked over the words and Horatio kept his gaze locked on his friend.

"We found this note in her hotel room. Do you know what language this is?" He asked, waiting for any type of response from her.

Crina picked up the paper and her face twisted just slightly. Her hand gripped the paper tighter and Horatio watched it crinkled just slightly.

"It's Romanian. And before you ask, I can tell you what it says." Her voice was cracking and she took a drink of water, "Dumnezeul meu odihnească sufletul meu. My God rest my soul. Căci am părăsit această lume. For I have left this world. Fie ca sufletul meu a găsi pacea cu stelele de mai sus și mai jos în lume. May my soul find peace with the stars above and the world below. Și poate draga mea găsi pacea în inima lui, la vestea morții mele. And may my dearest find peace in his heart at the news of my death. Fane, dragostea mea, eu va fi dor cel mai mult. Fane, my love, I will miss the most."

"Fane?"

"It's the 'pet' form of Stefan, which is the Romanian form of Greek Stephanos, meaning 'crown'. Most likely your victim was in love with someone named Stefan and called them Fane." She said as she placed the paper back on the counter.

Her side was hurting and it was showing in her grey eyes. She moved to her right and opened her medicine cabinet. Of course she'd done a stupid thing and placed her medicine back on the top shelf. Horatio stood and was at her side within a few moments, grabbing her bottle of medicine. She smiled as she took the bottle from him and popped the top.

"You sure you're alright?" He asked.

"Yeah, I've got physical therapy this afternoon, if you want to come along."

Her eyes were playful as she swallowed her two pain pills. Horatio chuckled and looked down then at her from an angle like he usually did when he spoke with someone, serious or casual.

"I'd love to, but I have to get back to the lab."

Crina nodded and placed her bottle on the counter, her hand pushing strands of her strawberry honey colored hair behind her left ear. She walked around him, giving him time to put his sunglasses back on, and led him back through the house to the door. She wasn't exactly wanting him to leave, but it seemed urgent. He looked at her one last time before leaning over and kissing her forehead. She chuckled and blushed slightly before gently nudging him out.

"How about, when your case is all over, I make dinner?"

"Romanian?"

"If you want. My grandmother taught me quite a few recipes before she passed."

"Sounds good. I'll call you to let you know when."

"It's a date!"

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><p>Crina laughed as she laid across her couch in the living room, phone to her ear. It was late and the only time that she could call her mother before either of them began their days. As her mother lived in Romania, which was eight hours ahead of the US, she stayed up late for when she could call her. Crina stretched as her mother spoke of Alina, her older sister, and her three nieces. She heard her father shouting in the background and she smiled as her mother moved the phone away to shout back at him.<p>

"Mama, aveți nevoie pentru a fi mai frumos la tata." Crina said as she moved the phone from one ear to another. (Mama, you need to be nicer to daddy.)

Her mother made some remark on how her father was lazy and needed to get up off his ass. Crina laughed and curled up on her side, the phone between her head and one of the couch pillows. She wrapped herself up in a blanket while her mother went on and on about how she needed to come home and see them. Crina yawned and her mother went quiet.

"Crina, ar trebui să fie de dormit. Draga mea, nu trebuie să-mi spui tot timpul. Am destule să mă țină ocupat." Her mother said softly. (Crina, you should be sleeping. Sweetheart, you don't have to call me all the time. I've got plenty to keep me busy.)

"Mama, îmi place știind că ești bine." Crina answered softly. (Mama, I like knowing you're okay.)

"Sunt miere bine, Alina se apropie de cu copiii și am de gând să fi ocupat toată ziua a face cookie-uri." (I'm fine honey, Alina is coming by with the kids and I'm going to be busy all day making cookies.)

"Ar fi bine să-mi trimiteți o parte dintre aceste cookie-uri sau nu te voi ierta." (You better send me some of those cookies or I'll never forgive you.)

"Da, da! O să-ți trimit ceva. Acum, du-te la culcare!" (Yes yes! I'll send you some. Now go to bed!)

"Te iubesc mama." Crina said with a chuckle. (I love you mama.)

"Și eu te iubesc miere." (I love you too honey.)

Crina clicked the off button and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, the sun was shining through her windows. She was stiff from the couch and pushed her blanket to the floor. She looked around for her watch, which had landed in her half eaten popcorn bowl on the floor. The knock at her door brought her to attention and she stumbled about on asleep legs. She shielded her eyes from the sunlight as she opened the door. Horatio was standing on her porch with a cup of coffe and a bag of food. She smiled as she stepped aside and yawn.

"I didn't realize I was that boring." Horatio said as he stepped in, letting her close the door.

"You're not. I had a long night. I was talking with my mother." Crina explained as she reached for the coffee in Horatio's hand.

He handed it to her and smiled as she made the face of satisfaction after taking a few sips. She linked arms with him and led him into her living room.

"You mother lives in Romania right?" He asked.

"Yes. It's eight hours ahead of us here in Miami. So I stay up late some nights to call my parents in the morning when they get up." She said as she seated herself on her couch and patted the seat next to her.

"That's really sweet of you. You must be tired though. I could leave."

Crina shook her head linked arms with him again, leaning on his shoulder. She sipped her coffee in silence while Horatio opened the bag of food. They were silent as they ate and she continued to lean on him with a smile. He would stop by in the mornings to speak with her, bring her breakfast, and then she'd sit in silence as he would tell her about anything and everything with a smile. She liked it when Horatio smiled, it cause her insides to warm up and her heart to beat a bit faster. She curled her legs next to her and closed her eyes, taking in his warmth.

"What made you leave Romania and get a U.S. citizenship?" Horatio asked, leaning back.

"I wanted a change. Don't get me wrong, my family is very important to me. But I wanted something different." She answered softly.

"Why Miami?"

"I've always loved the ocean. I grew up in Constanta, a port city in Romania. I, of course, did some research before I moved here. I saved up for a few years, bought a house and then bought a building going into foreclosure. I turned that building into a club and I've been doing pretty well since then."

He turned his head and he smiled. He'd been to her club many times since they'd met. She'd invited him for drinks as a thank you for saving her. What had started as a simple thank you turned into dinner, a few movies, then a growing friendship. He found her charming and sweet, her smile was infectious.

"Horatio?" She whispered.

"Yes?" he returned.

Crina turned her head and looked up at him, her grey eyes pained. He was looking at her with his own blue eyes.

"I got a call from Alexx yesterday. You jumped into the line of fire."

Horatio gave a sigh and Crina sat up, letting go of Horatio's arm. She stood up slowly and grabbed the food wrappers and the empty food bag, walking from the living room to her kitchen. Horatio was behind her every step of the way. She placed the items in the trash and turned to the red haired man. He was watching her intently, her face was pained and he didn't like that. It reminded him of the first day he'd seen her in the hospital after her surgery. She'd been scared then, and she was scared now. Not for herself though, he could see that clearly. She was scared for him, for him to lose his life. Crina crossed her arms over herself, wrapping herself in a protective embrace. She was shaking and he moved toward her.

"Crina, you know my job is dangerous-"

"It's not your job that's making me feel this way." Crina interrupted.

"Then what is Crina?" Horatio asked as he placed his hands on Crina's arms.

"It's you. You just jump right into the line of fire. I get that you have a duty to protect people Horatio, and I'm very proud of you for it."

"But?"

Crina shook her head and sighed.

"I just want you to be careful. You're a good friend Horatio and the thought of you being injured or, God forbid, killed...I just don't know if I could bear it." She said softly.

Was she confessing something? He wasn't quite sure. He'd known her for a few months now, and his free time was spent between her home and his own, but even in the vast amounts of time he'd spent with her he still couldn't read her very well. She was looking up at him and touched his face.

"I know you can't make promises to stay out of harms way, but promise me that you'll be more careful." She said softly.

He gave a small smile and leaned down the few inches difference, kissing her forehead.

"I'll try my hardest." He whispered.

Crina sighed and leaned against him. She was still scared but she knew he would keep is word. She gave her 'Yeah right' look then smiled as she linked her arm with his again. He gave her another kiss on the forehead and Crina gently nudged his arm.

"What do you have planned for dinner tonight?" she asked.

"Nothing that I know of." Horatio answered with a smile.

"I'm going to make ardei umpluți for dinner. It's delicious and I just got the recipe in the mail from my grandmother a few days ago." Crina said with a smile as she led Horatio back through the house to the front door.

"What is it?" Horatio asked curiously.

"Stuffed Peppers. It can be used for special occasions or just a regular dinner. We'll also be having dessert, so don't eat too much lunch. I'm making my mother's Panettone." Crina said as she opened the door.

"You're booting me out already." Horatio said with a chuckle.

"You and I both have work today. I'm off to catalog alcohol at the club and make sure the cleaning crew actually cleaned today," Crina tilted her head like Horatio would and gave a sweet smile, "How about after dinner we go to the club and watch people dance horribly on the dance floor?"

Horatio smiled and laughed, putting his sunglasses on.

"It's a date." He said as he turned and walked toward his hummer.

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><p>I'm really getting into other types of Fan fiction now. I know that I've probably not done Horatio any justice. The man is just so awesome! Anyway, I'm hoping that you all like it! I'm growing particularly fond of Crina myself. If I offend anyone that's Romanian, I don't mean to. I absolutely love the country, culture, food, really anything about Romania fascinates me!<p> 


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